Section 8: Help paying rent to a private landlord.
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Federal rental subsidy that pays your landlord directly, covering the gap between about 30% of your adjusted income and your local payment standard.
Reviewed by SubhaVerified
Your share of rent
About 30%
Of adjusted monthly income; the voucher covers the rest
Income limit
50% of AMI
Generally at or below half of area median income
Waiting list
Varies
Each housing agency runs its own list
Where to apply
Local PHA
Your Public Housing Agency
Figures on this page were last verified October 16, 2026. Amounts and rules change, so confirm them with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) before you apply.
What is Section 8?
Section 8 (formally the Housing Choice Voucher Program) is the federal government's largest rental-assistance program, administered by HUD and delivered locally by about 2,100 state and local Public Housing Agencies.
In 2026, more than 2.3 million American families receive a voucher, helping approximately 5.3 million people including over 900,000 older adults and 1.4 million people with disabilities, according to HUD 2026 data and the CBPP Policy Basics update from June 2026.
The voucher pays the difference between about 30 percent of adjusted monthly income and the local Payment Standard, which is typically 90 to 110 percent of the local Fair Market Rent.
Fair Market Rents vary widely by county and metro area; HUD's FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026, and you can look up your area at huduser.gov.
Households at or below 50 percent of Area Median Income can apply through their local Public Housing Agency (find yours at hud.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts).
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (commonly called Section 8) is the federal government's largest rental-assistance program. It is funded by HUD and run locally by about 2,100 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the country.
If you qualify and receive a voucher, you choose your own private-market rental, house, apartment, or townhouse.
The PHA pays your landlord a monthly subsidy called the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), and you pay the difference, generally about 30% of your adjusted monthly income (up to 40% maximum on your initial unit).
Vouchers are portable in most cases, you can move with one between PHAs, including across state lines. Demand far exceeds supply: most PHAs have multi-year waiting lists and many are closed to new applications for extended periods.
In 2026, the program faces political uncertainty. The Trump administration proposed replacing Section 8 with a state block-grant program in its FY2026 budget, but Congress did not adopt it, and the full-year FY2026 funding law kept the voucher program in place. Current voucher holders continue to receive assistance.
In March 2026, HUD proposed a rule that would let PHAs and owners add work requirements and time limits. As of October 2026 it has not been finalized.
Who can get a Housing Choice Voucher
- Household income is generally at or below 50% of area median income (AMI). HUD publishes exact limits each year by county and metro area at huduser.gov
- 75% of new vouchers must go to households at or below the Extremely Low Income (ELI) limit, the greater of 30% of local Area Median Income or the federal poverty line. For a 4-person family under the FY2026 limits, the poverty guideline floor is $33,000 in the 48 contiguous states and DC; higher-income areas use a higher figure
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen status required for at least one household member (mixed-status families get prorated help). Each household member must disclose a Social Security number, except members who do not claim eligible immigration status
- Must pass a criminal-background screening; PHAs can deny applicants with certain drug or violent-crime convictions or lifetime sex-offender registration
- Under the HOTMA rules, a family generally cannot qualify if its net assets are over $105,574 (2026 figure) or it owns a home it could live in. Most PHAs must apply these rules by January 1, 2027
- Each PHA picks its own minimum rent, anywhere from $0 to $50 a month, and must waive it for financial hardship
Only the agency that runs the program can decide eligibility.
How much rent a voucher covers
Subsidy size
Varies
Over 2.3 million American families receive a Housing Choice Voucher, helping about 5.3 million people including more than 900,000 older adults and 1.4 million people with disabilities (HUD 2026; CBPP Policy Basics, updated June 2026)
What the amount depends on
Tenant pays roughly 30% of adjusted monthly income (maximum 40% on initial lease); the voucher's Housing Assistance Payment covers the rest up to the local Payment Standard, which is typically 90 to 110% of the local Fair Market Rent.
Exact amount depends on family size, income, and where you live. Fair Market Rents vary widely by area, and HUD's FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
How a local housing agency hands out vouchers
- 01
Find your local PHA
Use HUD's PHA contact lookup to find every public housing agency in your area. You can apply at any PHA whose waitlist is open.
- 02
Confirm the waitlist is open
Most PHAs publish open/closed status on their site. If closed, set a calendar reminder, many open for only a few days each year.
- 03
Submit a pre-application
Provide household size, gross income, and contact info. Some PHAs use a lottery rather than first-come first-served.
- 04
Wait, and stay reachable
Wait times range from months to several years. Update your address and phone number with the PHA whenever they change, or you'll be removed from the list.
- 05
Verify income and choose a unit
When your name comes up, you'll attend an eligibility appointment plus voucher orientation briefing. After approval, your PHA gives you at least 60 days, often 60 to 120, to find a landlord who accepts the voucher. If the housing market is tight, contact your PHA and request a search-time extension.
Each local agency runs its own waiting list. For the full steps, see our guide on how to apply for Section 8 and get on a waiting list.
Start with the official source
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Section 8 questions about lists, rent and moving
It varies widely by city, and there is no national figure. Some PHAs move through their lists in months, while many big-city lists take years and stay closed for long stretches. Your PHA can tell you its current wait. Apply at every PHA in your commute radius, not just the closest one.
Federal law does not require landlords to accept vouchers, but a growing number of states and cities have passed source-of-income protection laws that make refusal illegal in those jurisdictions.
The Poverty and Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) keeps an updated list of state and local source-of-income laws. Check it for your area before assuming a landlord can legally refuse.
No. The household pays approximately 30% of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The voucher pays the difference up to a Payment Standard (typically 90 to 110% of the local Fair Market Rent).
Common reasons: household income above 50% of area median, fraud in a federal housing program, lifetime sex-offender registration, eviction from federally assisted housing for drug-related criminal activity in the past 3 years, and owing money to a PHA.
Net assets over $105,574 (2026) can also rule a family out once the PHA applies the HOTMA asset limit. Each PHA has its own additional screening criteria.
No. As of October 2026, the Housing Choice Voucher program continues to operate. The Trump administration's FY2026 budget proposed replacing Section 8 with a state block grant, but Congress did not adopt it.
Current voucher holders keep their assistance, and PHAs still issue vouchers where funding allows. A HUD rule proposed in March 2026 would let PHAs and owners require work-eligible adults to do up to 40 hours a week of work activities. It is not final as of October 2026.
Yes. In 2024, 65% of non-elderly, non-disabled households using Housing Choice Vouchers were working or had worked recently, per CBPP analysis of HUD administrative data. For working families, the voucher closes the gap between what they earn and what market rents cost.
The typical voucher household earns income; the voucher covers only the shortfall.
Sources & further reading
- HUD: Housing Choice Voucher Applicant and Tenant Resources
- HUD: Public Housing Agency Directory (find your local PHA)
- HUD User: FY 2026 Income Limits Documentation System
- HUD User: Fair Market Rents (FY 2027, effective October 1, 2026)
- CBPP: Policy Basics on the Housing Choice Voucher Program
- PRRAC: State and Local Source-of-Income Nondiscrimination Laws
- HUD User: 2026 Inflation-Adjusted Values (HOTMA asset limit)
- eCFR: 24 CFR 5.630, Minimum rent
- eCFR: 24 CFR 5.216, Social Security number disclosure
- Federal Register: HUD proposed rule on work requirements and term limits (March 2, 2026)
Use official sources to confirm current requirements and benefit amounts.
Reviewed by Subha
Every rule and figure here was checked against the sources above on October 16, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial site. We are not a government agency and we do not run this program. See our full disclaimer.
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